Purdue University Kills Dogs

Written by PETA | January 17, 2008

After receiving a frantic e-mail that was being circulated by a Purdue student who was desperate to find a home for one of the dogs used in her class, we dug up some extremely disturbing information about Purdue University’s Veterinary Technology Program. As part of this program, catheters are inserted into perfectly healthy dogs, who are killed following the experiment if students are unable to find homes for them.

According to the information we received, the students themselves are burdened with the task of finding homes for the animals used in these unnecessary procedures—and the penalty for failure is death for the dogs. “It became our responsibility to find all 10 of these dogs homes by the end of the semester or else they would be euthanized,” wrote the student in her e-mail.

There’s so much wrong with this whole hideous program that it’s difficult to know where to begin, but the most obvious starting point is this: Vet-tech students can easily learn this stuff without hurting healthy animals—so how about making that the new SOP? We contacted Purdue this morning to make exactly that point, and ask the school to perform the procedures only on animals who are living in homes and who will receive a direct medical benefit from them, and to begin working with veterinarians in a clinical setting and with mannequins.

Or, as PETA’s Director of Research puts it,

“Purdue is exploiting these dogs and its students. Dogs aren’t test tubes with tails. Holding the threat of death over students’ heads is traumatic for the students, and it also means that the dogs could end up in unsuitable homes where they may face even more abuse and neglect.”

Commenting is closed.

Simply Deplorable! I am currently a veterinary technology student at another school and I am appalled by Purdue’s actions. As future technicians and veterinarians it is our job to protect the animals and treat them in a humane and ethical fashion at all times not to mention first and foremost do no harm. In this day and age there are plenty of great teaching tools one can use that do not require preforming unnecessary procedures on live animals. Many programs are already using such things as “Dummy” dogs that are designed to practice proper placement of trach tubes. I don’t understand why Purdue would think it is ok to preform unnecessary potential painful or even life threatening procedures on a live animal

My first beagle was taken from the Purdue campus so he wouldnt be killed. His name is Tiger and he is now 14 years old. I am so happy to have him and I find it horrible what they are doing to these dogs

Strange… there is no response from Purdue posted here. No followup information from PETA. I’m curious to see what Purdue wrote back. Seems like Purdue gave a valid reason for using live animals. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love animals and work for their wellbeing but sometimes live animals are required for proper learning.

Purdue’s practice is not as horrible as you make it sound. And focusing on just one school out of hundreds is very narrowsighted. Still when it comes to medical care I would take a practitioner especially a surgeon!! be it human medicine or vet medicine that had practice on living beings over simple simulations.

I have worked on and with these dogs seen how they are treated and experimented with it is sad. The only reason these dogs are bred is to be “practice” animals for students. I do not agree with it. The dogs are not needed. Sometimes a certain dog would be used over and over again just because it was a “good candidate” for the certain procedure that day. It’s sad to know these dogs get treated like a machine or toy to poke and experiment with until you can do it right.

Ok Captain nemo your entry doesn’t even make sense. Again with the incomplete sentences and horrible grammar… And on the note about constructing educated and respectful arguments…we may be professionals but the peta freaks are not so I don’t think attempting and educated argument with uneducated people will do much good. Sorry but all these peta people just need to get a life! Seriously!

Dear Captain Nemo We are trying to construct educated and respectful arguments. Please don’t fill these pages with personal insults and personal vent. Actually that goes to all of you who are insulting and calling names both on the PETA and the vet side of things. Let’s show that we are professionals. On behave of all the vets on here I am sorry it has come to name calling and insults. If we want to understand each other please let’s do it like adults!

Angela interesting story but it seems to be all about you and your traumas. Not everyone is as oversensitive as you and that you don’t point out any wrongdoings is an indicator that the other comments in support of Purdue are accurate. That you had to detour on the way to class makes compelling reading. Shockhorror that the ag and vet depts would actually study animals beyond the text book. The cheek of them demanding it be fresh. Perhaps it would be easier for you to work on human eyes that were extracted to show different stages of decomposition. There should be enough dead bodies around. Are you sure forensic science is really for you?

I have a lot of issues with PETA taking sides with this student before verifying the facts or looking at the overall picture. Every animal that comes through Purdue’s small and large animal hospital is a teaching case. It doesn’t matter if the animal is a stray or a very pampered pooch. Afterall Purdue is a LEARNING institution. Purdue always is looking for assistance in helping strays find a good home…but they don’t put pressure on the students to find that forever home. Tippecanoe county which is where Purdue is located for all those unfamiliar with the area is having major stray issues right now…the humane society is so overwhelmed that they are not accepting new animals. We also have lots of animals that were given up during the recent devastating floods. Purdue’s animal hospital has stepped up to the plate on many occassions to help save the lives of strays that had critical medical issues. Many of those animals now reside in foster care or have found permanent homes. They also spay and neuter animals for the humane society for next to nothing. Their behavior program has worked with many stray animals who had behavior problems so that they could be better candidates for adoption. My own dog is a patient at Purdue’s small animal hospital. I see first hand how wonderful the care has been for my dog and many other animals that come through those doors. The expertise of an orthopedic surgeon has allowed my dog to recover fully from a severe knee injury. With both of my dog’s surgeries vet students spent hours sitting on the floor with my dog icing her leg making sure she had good pain control and doing anything possible to make her happy rubbing her ears and tummy. I received multiple calls to give me updates on her condition and many more follow up calls once she came home. I feel so lucky and blessed to live down the street from one of the best veterinary schools. I would take either of my dogs there in a heartbeat.

First of all it’s spelled PURDUE! Get it right. Second of all the veterinary school here is committed to the best quality of teaching and learning. If you PETA folk really want to help animals quit promoting hearsay and go to your local animal shelter where you CAN do some good. Pets are companion animals not people. You all need to get off your computers and your butts and volunteer to help out with the rest of us!

Purdue University does a lot more testing than that. I was a student in the forensic science department and we worked w blood and tissue samples. I remember doing a biology experiment on sheep’s eyes that were extracted to show different stages of decomposition. There is a slaughter house in one of the buildings where animals are frequently brounght in and slaughtered for the agriculture department. I was traumatized after petting a small calf in the hall then passing through the building to find its crate next to the slaughter room. I had a class in that building for several semesters and would walk around it and the one that was conjoined to it so I would avoid the slaughter halls. One could smell the blood and several lecture halls in that building had a track on the ceiling that would allow the slaughter to be brought into the room fresh from the kill.

Hey Vickie “kids” is spelled with an “i”. Purdue’s Vet program is one of the best in the country and they are doing nothing illegal so good luck getting them to shut the program down. Arrogant uneducated bh!

I think some of you are over reacting. And sometimes you have to put animals down. would you rather them suffer a bad life? If they didnt get put down then they would probably either get sent to a shelter where its worse or get used for animal testing. So I would rather have them killed then to live a bad life. PEDA is ridiculous!

Help tiger cubs forced to swim + used as selfie props. Tell Dade City’s Wild Things that cubs belong with their mothers!

Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? Read more.